Whether your story rests on a historical foundation or you’re starting a world from scratch, writers, game-builders, and creators of all kinds can benefit from an in-depth understanding of how social and economic systems operate.
There is a lot of related material out there but I came across this guide, specifically aimed at creators of fiction, and thought I’d share.
Resources for World-Builders by The Pedant, a.k.a. Dr. Bret C. Devereaux
I know a lot of my readers are interested in constructing fictional worlds which follow historical rules and patterns, where things like agriculture and armies make sense. So I thought I would gather together some of the material I’ve written that might be of use.
As an example, here’s an analysis of what it took to for pre-modern farmers to make bread. It certainly makes me appreciate the ease with which we can now access high-quality flour (and legal protections, and insurance).
Bread, How Did They Make it? (I, II, III, IV, A)
And finally, just to point out the obvious: farming labor is hard. It is back-breaking, uncomfortable stuff.
The resource collection includes material on the following categories, with examples from history (fictional and otherwise).
- Premodern Economics
- Armies and Logistics (example: Punching Through Some Armor Myths)
- Religion
- Society and Politics
- Armor and Weapons
- (Star)Ship Design (example: Where Does My Main Battery Go?)
This site has a Lot of other interesting material as well, so if (for example) you’ve ever wondered why the Industrial Revolution didn’t happen under the Roman Empire, this is the resource for you.
* Also note, for more on what and how people ate in the Western Middle Ages, SF Canada writer Krista D. Ball has a detailed and useful book on realism in fantasy food: What Kings Ate and Wizards Drank.
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J.R. Johnson 
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